Are you ready for this? Are you really ready for this groundbreaking, life-changing news? Here we go, be sure to stay seated and keep your hands and feet in the ride at all times, Oh wait that’s for something else. Anyway, here are our tips for you:

Find a photographer who makes you feel comfortable.This is the most important! There are a bunch of senior portrait photographers out there, and most of them take really great photos…so you’ve got to find the photographer that you feel a connection with – the Studio who will make you feel absolutely gorgeous (or handsome!) while you’re with them. You want to have fun during your portrait session so make sure that you can laugh with them. Real laughter translates to real smiles and that’s what you want in your portraits. It goes without saying that you want portraits that will be the envy of all your friends, so be sure to choose the photographer that you know will make you feel and look great! Once you find that photographer, make sure you book your session early! Your year book photos are usually due around October of your senior year and photographer’s book up early.

Have your hair and makeup professionally done. For the ladies…in our experience, sometimes spending a little bit of extra time getting pampered by a professional hair and makeup artist gives you the confidence that you need to really get out there and rock your senior portraits! It takes special knowledge and skills to apply makeup that will photograph perfectly, so it’s really important that you use a pro. (Ask us for a list of stylists we recommend) Plus, these are the photos that will forever represent your high school days, so you want to look your absolute best! And speaking of looking your absolute best – if you aren’t the type of person who normally wears a lot of makeup, make sure you let your hair/makeup artist know so they can give you a more natural look. Take some time to do some research and think about the looks that you want for your portraits and then share them with the artist so they can bring your vision to life! If you look your best, you feel your best, and when you feel your best, you act more confidently. Go the extra mile to walk into your senior session feeling confident, attractive, prepared, and inspired.

Help choose your locations. It can be hard to pick the perfect locations, that’s why we like to give our suggestions and get your ideas as well. Once we’re on location we’ll look for spots with great lighting, not necessarily the best scenery (Something ugly might have the right color and fade away when blurred). When choosing your locations, we always try to pick spots that mean something to you. If you love spending time on the river or at a lake, maybe you want to get a few shots at your school – where ever, as long as we can legally be there. But when it comes down to it, don’t stress too much about locations, just tell us your ideas prior to your session so we can work out the details.

Pick great outfits. So you don’t know what to wear? You can do a quick Google search or look on Pinterest boards for what’s in style. Once you have an idea go through your own wardrobe, and put some great outfits together that make you feel comfortable. But remember, what ever you pick out make sure the items are YOU, not someone on-line! It’s usually a good idea to have at least 2-3 outfits, one that’s formal, another that’s a little casual and at least one FUN – YOU outfit. Go on – get creative, but be real and don’t forget that the outfits you choose should represent YOUR life in high school, no one else’s! See here for a tip from before.

Call us and get ready for some fun. It’s totally normal to be nervous before having your portraits taken, just be sure you’re ready to have a great time, because you will! Once we get the session rolling you’ll start feeling more comfortable and, Spoiler Alert, you’ll start to have fun. By the end of the session, you will walk away feeling confident with a huge smile on your face. When you’re with us, it’s all about you, and that’s always fun!

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Are you stumped as to what to wear for your Family Portraits this year?

Here is our advice:

1) Decide if you want the portrait to be dressy, casual or somewhere in-between.

2) We will work with you in deciding on a location. Choosing clothes that go with the location is a must.

3) Stick with two to three main colors to work with like red, black and gray or turquoise and brown, anything that coordinates well together. The thing to keep in mind is to find coordinating colors for the whole family, not necessarily the same matching colors. Start with the person who is the hardest to choose clothes for. You may want to do this before picking colors if they have a limited color palette. Then then use the colors in their choice to determine the rest of the clothing. Layers work great in pictures. You can easily accessorize with scarves or vests or layer your clothing for the family picture! We discourage “Matching” clothing items, even for multiples, but you have the final say.

4) Avoid any items of clothing with writing or logos as these really date an image! If the clothing is noticeable in a portrait, it will become a distraction. Clothing that does not attract attention to itself should be your goal. Ladies should avoid really short sleeves, try to wear mid-length or long-sleeves. Men look best in a dress shirt and sports jacket or polo shirt or sweater.

5) Now go to every one’s closets and pull out any options in the color scheme you chose. Bring all the clothes to one room and start laying out the options. Think of who will be next to whom in the portrait as well while laying them out. Keep changing your options until you get something that you like. Keep in mind that you are looking at the group as a whole, not individual pieces. Try not to have any one item stick out too much (unless it is intentional!) You may have to go buy an item or two but by trying a bunch of different combinations, you can usually find something that works without buying a lot. We recommend you take a picture of each grouping because it is easier to see and if it stands out now it will show even more in your portrait. Clients have sometimes sent us the images of what they have in mind and we’ve given them our input.

6) Look on the web for ideas. A lot of clothing websites will have outfit ideas for you as well if you are really stuck.

7) Most importantly, don’t get worried about finding the perfect outfit for each person after all the portrait is still about the people in the clothes not the clothes themselves. Just relax and have fun.

Don’t forget to sign up for our limited (12 sessions) $60 Summer Kickoff Mini-sessions on June 28th, 2014. You’ll get 10 images available through digital download so you can print them anywhere. Call us at 812-626-1186 to get signed up, they are going to go fast!

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Do the clothes make the person? Maybe not, but they do make a portrait. Keeping these tips in mind will help you with selecting what to wear for your Family Session with Debi Wolfe Photography.

Be comfortable: Stick to clothes you like, build your confidence, are functional and comfortable. If you’re not comfortable in what you are wearing it will show in your portrait.

Make a statement: Outfit changes are the norm in a portrait shoot so mix it up with some clothing options that will make for more fun, sassy portraits. If a child insists on having a photo in an outfit that breaks all of these rules, bring it we’ll snap a few and everyone will be happy. Bring along multiple options that that range from formal to crazy to ensure a more broad choice of portraits showcasing real you!

Color and color tones: Dark, plain fabrics usually work best. Avoid crazy patterns, designs and logos too. Clothing with distinct lines, dots and bright patterns can be distracting in a photo. Same goes for shiny fabrics. Keep your jewelry choices simple and minimal.

You want to wear white: OK. While dark, solid print clothes are generally better, there are some rules that are just made to be broken. Let us know that you really want to wear white. It can look awesome with certain backgrounds.

Avoid short sleeves and shorts: If you don’t like your arms or legs for whatever reason long sleeves and pants are a better choice. Also skin tones can vary a bunch on various legs and arms and no we can’t give you a tan. 🙂

Too many choices: You should bring a few clothing changes but don’t go overboard, two or three will be fine. When you arrive we can look at what you have and decide on an order for them to be worn. If you want to get a “Formal” portrait as well as a casual, arrive wearing the formal outfit. These outfits usually take the longest to get on and you and your family can relax and have more fun after the formal shots.

Props: Bring along a few items that reveal who your family really is. Avoid the fight and let the kids bring along that “comfort” item and we’ll make it a part of the fun!

Dress for locations: If we will be in or near a wooded area, you will want to consider clothing that is practical and appropriate for that surrounding. (avoid Camo 🙂 ) Or, for a little extra punch,really dress it up with formal attire to strike an impressive contrast with the rustic surroundings.

Clothing is a time stamp: Great portraits last a long, long time so be sure your clothing choices will age gracefully in your portrait. Have you ever looked back at images from the past and said “Why did I wear that!?” We have!!! What is a fashionable trend today can easily be tomorrow’s plaid or parachute pants; you know you had a pair, maybe both!!!

Be ready to have fun: Your session will be about you and your family, not our last client. Unless specifically asked for we rarely utilize the same exact place for the same style of session. We may ask you to step out of the box and push the envelope, but only to get you a portrait that you will be proud to display on your wall.

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Are you getting ready for that final year of High School? Start your summer by scheduling a Senior Portrait Session. We will capture timeless portraits that will capture the wonderful memories you are creating in this final year high school. If you are looking for unique and modern senior portraits – we would love to work with you. If you live in Evansville or surrounding area, please contact us. We can’t wait to plan your session, call 812-626-1186 or email at debi@debiwolfepix.com

Below are just suggestions, you don’t have to bring everything or even anything we have recommend. We want to capture who YOU are, not who you think you should be for us. So only bring what makes YOU – YOU, and what makes YOU comfortable!

If you bring light colored outfits, make sure to bring like colored underwear.

Bring a strapless bra if you plan on wearing spaghetti strap or strapless clothes.

Bring more items than you think you’ll need.

Iron your outfits the night before and avoid folding them so there are no wrinkles.

Grooming

Hair – Avoid getting a new haircut the day before. If you want to try a new haircut, do it 1 week beforehand so you can figure out if you like it and how to fix it. You should also bring any items that will allow you to quickly change your hair style.Nails – You should have your nails done the day before your session. Your nails and fingers will show, so make sure you think about them while getting ready. Clean, properly groomed nails will make a big difference in your portraits. Don’t forget about your toes as well.Makeup – Apply a “little” more makeup than normal (but don’t overdo it). Make sure your mascara is clean and free of clumps. Extra mascara will make your eyes stand out more. Don’t worry about a random pimple or small break out the morning of your session as these are easy to fix in editing.Tanning – Stop for at least 4 days before your session. Burned or peeling skin is not flattering. Avoid having tan lines that will show with your outfits.Glasses – If you can buy or borrow a pair of non-glare glasses or frames without the glass.

Guys

Clothing –

Try to avoid patterns, plaids, words, and horizontal strips.

Bright solid colors are great.

Bring at least 1 nice button up shirt,

2-3 collared shirts,

2-3 casual shirts (T-shirt),

Comfortable fitting pants and shorts.

2 pair of shoes.

Bring a belt that matches your outfits.

Bring hats if you typically wear them.

Grooming –

Shaving – Shave accordingly, depending on how fast you get the 5:00 shadow…. If you quickly get stubble shave 2-3 hours before the session to avoid red irritated skin.Nails – Make sure to clean and groom your finger nailsHair – You should get a haircut 2-3 days before your session and new hair styles least 1 week before your session to allow enough time to figure out how to style it.Glasses – If you can buy or borrow a pair of non-glare glasses or frames without the glass.

Things to keep in mind – light colors, tight fitting, and horizontal lines make you appear heavier than you are. If you don’t like your arms, don’t bring sleeveless/tank top shirts. Darker colors, looser fitting, and vertical lines are slimming in portraits.Bring some of your own props – Class rings, musical equipment, books, flowers, balloons, sports equipment/apparel, iPod, glasses and shoes…items that make you who you are.Bring a friend or two – Friends bring a level of comfort and relaxation to you and that’s what we’re going for during your session. Your friends will also know if you are looking and acting like yourself, which is important.The night before – Get all your outfits and accessories picked out and packed the night before to avoid any stress the morning of your session. Get plenty of sleep the night before. Most importantly, RELAX & HAVE FUN!! Be wild and free. No one will see your images until you OK them.